Former Liverpool captain Graeme Souness believes Sadio Mane's red card in Saturday's 5-0 defeat at Manchester City is punishment enough for the forward.
The Reds have appealed against the length of the Senegal international's three-match ban, believing it represents excessive punishment for the contentious foot-high clash with goalkeeper Ederson.
As it stands Mane will miss this weekend's visit of Burnley plus the Carabao Cup/Premier League double-header with Leicester next week.
"The sending-off would have been enough," Souness told Press Association Sport.
"It's a ball he has to go for but he has endangered an opponent; that, in the modern game, means he has to go.
"There's nothing pre-meditated about it: there's a ball, he knows if he wins it he's in and is going to score a goal. It was a ball he had to go for.
"But he has endangered a player, so I can see why a referee would send him off. I can also see the argument from players, of which I was one a long time ago, but there was no intent there."
